Sheet-feeding mechanism



SHEE EEEEEEEEEEEEEEEE M.

APPLICATION FILED J A N 2 7 I 9 2 0.

1,348,254, Patented Aug. 3,1920.

' registered upon its feed table before being j UNITED STATES,

IPATENT OFFICE.

n mrrnosr UPHAN OF BOSTON. MASSACHUSETTS, ASSIGNOR 'r'o UNITED PRINTING MACHINERY COMPANY, OF; BOSTON, MASSACHUSETTS, A CORPORATION or Massa- CHUSETTS.

. w I SHEET-FEEDINGMECHANISM.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented 3,

Original application filed September 16,1919, Serial No. 824,072. Divided and this application filed J'anany 27, 1920; Serial No. 354,325.

Boston, in thecounty of Suffolk and State of Massachusetts, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Sheet-Feeding I Mechanism; and I hereby declare that the following is a full, clear, and exact descrlption thereof, reference being had to the ac: companying' drawings, which form part of this specification.

This application isa division of my application for printing press, filed September 16, 1919, Serial .No. 324,072; and has particular reference to feeding the sheets to printing presses, andthe like.

The object of this invention is to provide a sheet feeding mechanism whereby the sheets may be fed quickly andsmoothly'to the grippers'of the impression cylinder, or other sheet taking means, of a printing press, or machine for operating upon sheets, and its objects are( 1) to insure that the sheets will be cleared from wrinkles as they are fed to the printing mechanism; and 2) to enable the sheets to be fed alternately from two feedtables so that the sheets can'be properly supplied to' a rapidly operating printing or other mechanism, and ample time be given for each sheet to be properly taken therefromr I One'practical embodiment ofthe lnvention is illustrated diagrammatically in the transfer from the tables accompanying drawings, and a description thereof will enable others skilled in the art to understand and utilize the same; and the essentials of the invention and novel combinations and constructions of parts for which protection is desired are all set forth in the appended claims.

In said drawings Figure 1 represents diagrammatically a longitudinal sectional elevation of one form of sheet feeding mechanism embodying the invention.

Figs. 2rand 3- are diagrammatic views illustrating. different positions ofsheets in to the taking mechanism.'; I

For convenience the invention will be described as applied to a rotaiysheet-printing press, such, for instance, as illustrated in my 1 aforesaid application.

The plate-cylinders 1 and 2 (indicated in Fig. 1) are adapted to carry printing surfaces of any suitable kind and are supplied with ink from fountains and F, respectively, in the usual manner. An impression cylinder 1 cooperates with plate cylinder 1,

and an impression-cylinder 2 cooperates with plate-cylinder 2. The impressioncylinders 1*, 2 are arranged closetogether.

and substantially cylinders l and 2.

In the example shown instead of the impression-cylinders being provided with intermediate the plategrippers to handle the sheets, the sheets are cation above referred to; but it'should be clearly understood that the present invention is not limited toluse with any particular type of printing press, or other mechanism for operatingupon sheets.

' In the example shown the sheets are fed to the grippers 3 at the point 'T, adjacent the cylinder 1,- by means-of novel feed mechanism adapted to alternately present sheets S from a table 6, and sheets S froma table 6*,to the grippers on the endless carrier.

The feed tables 6, and 6, may be of any suitable'construction and the sheets may be fed'into properly registered positions thereon either by hand, or by any of the 'well known or other suitable mechanical devices for feeding sheets on said tables. The sheets can be properly positioned on the table 6 against the usual stops or'gages 6", and the sheets can be positioned on the table 6 against the usual stops or gages 6.

As shown the sheets are taken from table 6 by grippers 5 on a cylinder or reel 5";a'nd in the'example shown, the ippers are operated to take a sheet from t e table on everyoth'er revolution of c linder 5P.

Thesheets are taken from t e tables 6 by grippers 5 on'a cylinder Or reel 5 having the same peripheral speed ascylinder- 5'.

In the example shown cylinder is smaller "than cylinder 5" and would make two revolutions to each revolution of the cylinder 5"; and the grippers 5 would therefore be operated to take a sheet from the table 6 on every fourth revolution of cylinder 5.

The parts should be so-arranged and timed that the cylinder 5 will take a sheet S from" the table 6 and deliverit to the printing or other taking mechanism, (onto transfer roll 5, hereinafter referred to) at the point T; and during this rotation of cylinder 5", rippers 5* on cylinder 5 take a sheet S rom table 6 in time to transfer thissheet to the grippers 5? on cylinder 5 after theyhave released the sheet.S, and during the first revolution of cylinder 5 (see Fig. 1), and

then the sheet S is carried by cylinder 5" I r and delivered during the second revolution 20 ofc linder 5 to the printing or other taking .mec ianism (or to the transfer cylinder 5) at'the point T.

During such second reveolution of the cyllnder 5 the grippers 5 do not take any sheet from table 6 nor fromcylinder .5 nor. do grippers 5 take a sheet from table 6; but after cylinder 5 has surrendered the sheet S atthe point T, and during the next (third) revolution of such, cylinder.

grippers 5 are carried to take a sheet S from, table 6, and grippers 5' to take a sheet S from table 6". 7

During such third revolution of cylinder 5" grippers 5take a sheet S from table 6 and, deliver it at the point T; and then take a-sheet S from the cylinder 5. Thus duringv each revolution of the cylinder 5",

' a sheet S, or S, is. delivered to the print- 6 as described,

ing or other taking mechanism from the table 6, or 6, the sheets being'alternately fed from such tables.

Preferably. I do not deliver the sheets direct from [cylinder 5 to the lpLrinting a mechanism unless the circumferenee of the c linder 5' is large enough to insure that t e whole sheet willbe bent upon the periphery of this cylinder before it is taken by the printing mechanism; and if the sheets were large this would require cylin- S the "cylinder: 5, 0r printing or other taking mechanism, receives sheets alternatelyfrom tables 6 and 6 ample time ;is given for positioning the sheets S, Son the tables 6, 6*. against the, respective sheet t ps 6" and 6; and twice, as much time is allowed for positioning the sheets on the respective feed tables as would be permitted if, all the sheets were fed from one table.

Devices of. any suitable kind for operating the grippers 5 5, and ,5 s'ho'u1d be provided at the points T, T, T and T, I and so timed that sheets S and S are alternately taken from the tables 6 and 6 and delivered in alternation. to the printing mechanism as describedg'such gripper operating devices being well understood are not illustrated. r a Y A great deal of trouble has, been heretofore experienced in printing large sheets of paper on presses operating at high speeds, by wrinkles',.such wrinkles frequentlycaus "ingdefective printing and spoiling sheets;

so that forhigh grade, work, when operating on sheets that have been slightly wrinkled, it has been necessary to reduce the speed of the press to obtain satisfactory re- I have found that'if the sheets can be reversely bent throughout before. being seizedby the cylindergrippers that wrinkling thereof will be prevented, and the sheets will be smoothed out so that the press can be operated 'at high speedandi-produce good printing on such sheets.

I have furthermore found that the entiresheet "should be reversely bent before it is seized by the cylinder grippers, for if a long'sheet is taken by the cylinder'grippers the tail-end portion of the sheet is only bent as it passes between the impression and plate cylinders; and such tail-end portion of thesheet is apt to be wrinkled asfsuch portion would not'be smoothed out prior to being gripped between the printing and impression surfaces. Therefore I preferably provide at least two, cooperating cylinders orreels to transfer "the sheets from the tables to'the impression cylinder-or other taking devices, to, insure thatthe sheets will be reversely bent between the table'and the impression cylinder. Such reverse bending of the sheets has thedesirableeffect of smoothing out the wrinkles and causingthe sheets to pass uniformly and smoothly to and through the printing mechanism. 0

In the example shown, it will be seen 7 that the sheets S are first bent .to the right around cylinder 5 and then bent'to the left aroundthe reel 5. ZAnd the sheets S are bent in passing around cylinder 5. and

reversely bent in passing around cylinder 5; and are again bent in passing around theireel' 5.. If only one tablet was employed the cylinder 5 vmightdeliver:direct to the printing mechanisms atflthe point T but if only one table 6 is employed then the intermediate transfercylinder-5 isimportant in order toreverselybend the sheets fed from table 6. V v 7 I consider the provisionofmeans ferreversely bending the sheets between the feed table and the impression cylinder so as to eliminate wrinkles and smooth out the sheets a very important practical improvement in the art of printing; I also consider the between the table and the printing mecha-' msm. V

2. In combination printing mechanism; and a feed table from which the sheets. are to be fed; with a gripper cylinder for removing sheets from the table; and a second gripper cylinder receiving sheets from the first cylinder and transferring same to the printing mechanism; whereby the sheets are reversely bent between the table and the printing mechanism.

8. In combination mechanism for'operating upon sheets; and a pair of feed tables; with a gripper cylinder for feeding sheets from one table, and a smaller gripper cylinder for feeding sheets from the second table to the first gripper cylinder; whereby the sheets are alternately supplied to the operating mechanism from the respective tables.

5 In combination a printing mechanism; and a pair of superposed feed tables; with a gripper cylinder for feeding sheets from the lowertable, and a smaller gripper cylinder for feeding sheets from the upper table to the said gripper cylinder; whereby the sheets are alternately delivered from the tables, substantially as described.

5. In combination a sheet printing mechanism; and a pair of feed tables; with three gripper cylinders whereby the sheets are alternately transferred from'the said tables to the printing mechanism and eachsheet reversely bent between the tables and the printing mechanism. v

6.- In combination a printing mechanism; and a pair of superposed feed tables; with a v first gripper cylinder .-for feeding sheets from one table; a second gripper cylinder for feeding sheets from the second table to the first gripper cylinder; and a third gripper cylinder adapted to receive sheets from the first gripper cylinder and transfer same to the printing mechanism; the cylinders being so arranged that the sheets are reversely bent between the feed table and the printing mechanism.

7. In combination a sheet supply, and means for operating upon sheets; with means for transferring sheets from the supply to the operating means and reversely bending the sheets between the point where the sheets are taken from the supply and the point where the sheets are received by the operating means.

8. In combination, a table from which sheets are to be fed; and mechanism for operating upon sheets; with a set of cylindersfor removing sheets from the table and transferring same to the operating mechanism, whereby the sheets are reversely bent between the point where the sheets are taken from the table and the point .where'the sheets are received by the operating mechanism. r a 9. In combinationmechanism for operating upon sheets; and a pair of feed tables;

with a set of cylinders and co-acting means whereby the sheets are alternately transferred from the said tables to the operating mechanism and are reversely bent between the points where the sheets are taken from the tables and the point where the sheets are received by the operating mechanism.

10. In combination a sheet printing cylinders and co-acting means whereby the sheets are transferred from the'said table to the printing mechanism and each sheet reversely'bent between the table and the printing mechanism. c

11. In combination a sheet printing mechanism; and a pair of feed tables; with three cylinders and co-acting means whereby the sheets are alternately transferred from the said tables to the printing mechanism and each sheet reversely bent between the table from which it was taken and the printing mechanism.

12. In combination a printing mechanism; and a pair of superposed feed tables; with a first cylinder and co-acting means for feeding sheets from one table; a second cylinder,

feed table and the printing mechanism.

In testimony that I claim the foregoing as my own, I alfix in Si ature.

BUR F os'r UPHAM. 

